Compress



P. H. EPLER COMPRESS Filed 0G13. 23

Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNlrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y

PERCY H. EPLER, vF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

coMrREss.

Application filed October 23, 1924. Serial No. 745,514. l

v lowing -is a specification.

This invention relates to a compress for use in relieving pain, congestion and inflammation. The principal objects of the invention are to provide a compress that will be more convenient than those that have been used heretofore and one which can be used either as a hot pack or cold pack; to provide the same with a pocket suitable for the reception of ice or hot or cold water; to arrange the com ress so that the seepage of water theret rough will all pass to one side and the outer side can be kept dry; and to provide it with means at the bottom for receiving the drip and prevent soaking.

Another object of the invention is to provide fastening tapes of such character that the compress can be held accurately in position by themand there is no danger of its getting out of place, and so arranged that it will be easy to apply to very different parts of the `body and securely fasten in place and also one that can be laundered readilyand used over and over.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a view of a compress constructed in accordance withthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on enlarged scale on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the way of wearing it for treating sore throat, iniamed larynx or cold or congestion in the throat; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the way of wearing it for `treating nose bleed, stiff neck or any inflammation or congestion at the back of the neck; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing its use as an ear bandage.

Hot and cold compresses are being used ymore and more in scientific healing. Neverthelessl ordinarily towels or something of that kind are used for this purpose and they have numerous disadvantages. There is no way to tie a towel on'except to use a separate fastening means. It becomes wet on the outside'as well as on the inside and therefore is a disagreeable thing to have around. If it is wet a little too much itJ will drip and run down on the body or i on the bed, thus adding to its disadvantages. Furthermore usually the towel used is not of the right size and it is difficult to fold it so that it just suits the needs of the patient.

This invention is designed to avoid these difficulties and to provide an article which can be manufactured and sold in large quantities and be capable of many uses and be of just the right size and shape for each of them so that it will take the place very largely of the old forms of compresses. For this purpose I provide a compress 10 formed of Turkish .toweling or otherv absorbent or textile material in as many layers as may be desired and sewed together at the edges all around. I have shown the compress in a form in which the fabric is arranged in several layers back and forth comprising an inner layer 11 extending up aroundthe top and folded over to provide an outer layer 12 for Contact with the v'person. Between these layers a packing 9 of cotton is shown. The outer layer 12 is brought down around the lower end of the inner layer 11 to form a drip roll 13 and sewed by a line of stitches 14 arranged horizontally along the middle. of the compress. Then it is brought up to provide the rear layer 15 and of course any one or morev of these layers 1l, 12, 15 can be made of double thickness if desired or packing layers as 9 can be provided.

At the top of the compress a line of The top of the compress can be finished in any desired way as by overcasting at 19.

It will be noticed that the line of stitches 14 extends only part way along the middle of the compress and at its ends are a pair of vertical lines of stitches 17. These three lines form the boundaries of a pocket 18 at the.center of the top of the compress. It is open at the top asA shown and its rear wall, that is the front of the wall 15, is lined with a sheet of rubber 20 which o1" course visimpervious to moisture. The ends of thisare v'sewn in by the lines of stitches the compress -is made not 17 and at the bottom is brought down around to form a loop 21 inside the drip roll so as to line the drip roll on the front and rear with the rubber. It is then brought upto the top of this and sewn in one or two thicknesses by the line of stitches 14. I have shown a rectangular compress with a vsmaller rectangular pocket. From this it will be seen tha-tf the pocket is provided with a rubber lining, which may be called the inner surface of the outer wall of the pocket, so as to prevent the seepage of moisture through to the outside. Also the drip roll V13 is lined inside throughout with rubber to prevent the water leaking out here. Two thicknesses 11`and 12 of the compress are absorbent so as totransmit the moisture to the skin of the patient directly. On account of the rubber lining on the outer side a very large portion of the moisture is retained and utilized by the patient and its eects will continue a much longer time than in the old forms.

For the purpose of securing it in position I provide two tapes 25 secured to Vthe ends of the compress about half way between the top and bottom. These tapes constitute an important featurevof the invention because uite long, enough to go around the neck of the wearer and when'worn around the throat as in Fig. 3 or on the back of the neck as inyFig. et the compress leaves a space at its ends where the neck is not covered. The tapes cross over at this point and tie around the other side of the compress to hold it securely in position as shown in the drawings. y

In tying it ar und the neck, or in fact on other parts of t e body, it will be seen that the tapes cross each other at the open part and thenv go around the entire compress. They can be tied along the open side of the pocket so as to keep that from opening too wide and allowing the contents to be discharged through the top. This way of ty-l ing it is also used when the compress is used on the knee, elbow, foot or shoulder. In case of the wrists or ankles, the compress will go all the way around but in most places it will tie on in the same way as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Then used as an ear bandage or for any other purposes on the face, it is doubled as shown in Fig. 5 Yonce and one tape carried around it to hold it ifi place.

On account of leaving the back of the neck open, or the frontas the case may be, the bunches or knots in home tied ,compresses are avoided. VThe tapes make it possible to adjust it exactly to any part of the body and the compress can be laid on without discomfort thus affording an important advantage over rubber hot and cold water bottles. Furthermore it can be worn all day at business or in the house and it fits tight all the time and can be held in place permanently, unlike the towels and rags that are commonly used.

In use, a third of a cup of water, hot or cold or of the desired temperature, is Apoured into the pocket. If chopped ice is used, that is placed in the pocket. This compress can be used for inflamed throat or larynx or a cold in the chest or throat, vas an eye or ear bandage or as a cold pack for the back of the neck in case of nose bleed and the like. It is valuable in case of tooth-ache and ulcers and in tlammation of the foot, ankle, knee or elbow. It also can be used anywhere on the body to treat body abscesses or ulcers or troubles of the stomach and back.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form' of the invention I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of invention as expressed in the claims. There-- fore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is l. As an article of manufacture, a compress ofthe character described comprising a plurality of layers of absorbent material on one side and a rubber lining on the lother side and having a longitudinal seam along the bottom and two seams extending upwardly from the ends thereof to unite the several layers of materials along said seams and form a pocket, said pocket being open at the. top so as to be capable of receiving ice or water therein.

2. As an article of manufacture, a .rectangular compress formed of a plurality of layers of fabric sewed together around the end and top edges and folded over at the bottom and having a longitudinal line of stitching spaced above the bottom fold and extendingL part way along the length of the compress to form a rectangular pocket smaller than the compress and open at the top above said seam for the admission of water or ice.

3. As an article of manufacture, a compress comprising layers of fabric folded over at the bottom, stitched along the top l and ends, but open at the top to provide a 'pocket for receiving ice or water and a rubber lining for said pocket on the inner surface of the outer wall thereof only, so that the water will pass through the inner wall.

4. As an article of manufacture, a conipress comprising layers of fabric secured together along the top and ends but open at the top to provide a central pocket and a rubber lining for said pocket on the inner surface of the outer y.wall thereof, said rubber lining extending down ina loop around the inner surface of the bottom portion so as to form a drip roll to prevent the water leaking out rapidly at the bottom.

5. As an article of manufacture, a compress comprising layers of fabric secured together and leaving a pocket and a rubber lining for said pocket on the inner surface of the outer Wall thereof, said rubber lining extending down in a loop around the bottomoto form a drip rollito prevent the water leaking out rapidly at the bottom, said compress being longr enough to go almost around the part of the body to be treated and having apair of tapes secured to its opposite ends near the center thereof, whereby the folded ends of' the compress will not meet and the tapes canv be crossed `over `in the space between the ends and brought around to the other side and tied over the open pocket to prevent its opening and hold the compress in place.

6. As an article of manufacture, a compress comprising an outer layer of fabric,

an inner layer of fabric, capable of transmitting moisture through it, the two layers being separated to form a pocket, and a drip roll Vat the bottom of said pocket consisting of a continuation of said layers and having absorbent material iilling it, the drip roll being formed by a horizontal seam along the bottom of the pocket constituting the -top of the drip roll.

In testimony vwhereof I have hereunto affixed lmy signature.

PERCY H. EPLER. 

